AHS students paint murals for library

Sunday

Jun 15, 2014 at 3:31 PM

By Spencer Buell and Stefan Gellerarlington@wickedlocal.com

Students of Arlington High School art teacher, Nancy Muise, unveiled four painted murals in the downstairs community room of the Edith M. Fox Library Wednesday, June 4.The murals, each portraying windows to scenic locations, were selected and created by Muise’s two art classes as part of an effort to erect more public art in Arlington.With the help and support of Dave Ardito, interim director of visual art in Arlington, Ryan Livergood, Robbins Library director, Pam Watts-Flavin, head of children's services at Robbins Library, and Karen Dillon, Russell Fund coordinator, Muise and her students were able to tack on the four paintings to their lengthy list of public murals.Currently, the art program has accrued 14 public mural all across Arlington, including locations like Robbins Library, the senior center, the Boys and Girls Club, Arlington Center for the Arts, the post office, and several others.As the community room now hosts the four freshly painted murals, coordinators of the dedication ceremony are very optimistic of the effects they will have on future community programs using the room.“It just makes [the room] so much more inviting,” said Ryan Livergood “Before, it was kind of a cave or a dungeon. It really makes the space.”Much was said about the other types of groups that use the community room, including a 12-step program, yoga classes and other library functions and community gatherings, and how the new art will hopefully brighten up their experiences.“This was a dark, closed-in space and we wanted to create portals. We talked about windows and air and space,” explained Karen Dillon.With the $150 provided by the Russell Fund for the project, the students chose paintings to reproduce and worked in groups to complete them, adding some personal touches along the way.Many of the students involved in creating the murals were in attendance of the dedication ceremony- the majority of whom were seniors set to graduate a few days later- and spoke of the process and impact of the project.“Usually, you just take your art home in a folder – it’s nice that it can be of use and people can appreciate it,” said Grace Miller, a 16-year-old junior who worked on one of the paintings and said she plans to study illustration in college.“It was a lot of fun,” said Emma Hodgdon, a 17-year-old junior who worked in Miller’s group, of the process. “I like that we can come back here and see it.”